Mortar gun for pointing joints in walls, etc.



March 3, 1953 J. LEACH MORTAR GUN FOR POINTING JOINTS IN WALLS, ETC

Filed Sept. 2a, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l JJ m M KHWJ. V w w 2 SHEETS-SHEET2 Jae 07o I'eack J. LEACH March 3, 1953 MORTAR GUN FOR POINTING JOINTSIN WALLS, ETC

Flled Sept 28, 1948 Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEMORTAR GUN FOR POINTING JOINTS IN WALLS, ETC.

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in guns for tuck-pointing brickor brick-faced walls, stone or stone-faced walls, and the like.

According to methods now used, tuck-pointing or repointing of brick,stone and other walls constructed of or faced with units joined withmortar, is effected with a tuck-pointing tool carried in one hand and bymeans of which small quantities of mortar are taken from a suitable massheaped on a small mortarboard carried in the other hand and applied tothe joints between such units and pressed to the desired form or finishwhich the joints are to finally have. This is a slow and expensiveprocedure requiring the services of well trained and highly paidartisans.

Guns of the general type to which this invention relates are in commonuse for ejecting plastic compositions of the consistency of calkingmaterial, grease, and the like, but such guns are incapable of ejectingmortar used for pointing or repointing joints between bricks or stonesdue to the fact that the construction of the plungers in the guns tendsto jam the latter and the mortar in the barrel of the gun; nd because ofthe formation of the nozzles and the finish of the same, mortar will nothave the free movement required under such force as can be manuallyapplied with the actuating mechanism guns of this general type areequipped, ince mortar used for pointing is drier nd heavier andtherefore less pliant, with the result that the restricted escapepassage in the nozzle of the gun sets up sufficient resistance to theflow of the mortar that the pressure exerted thereon by the actuatingmechanism of the gun will cause the mortar to exert its force againstthe expanding washer or similar element of the plunger and jam saidelement against the wall of the gun-barrel and the mortar in the barrelbetween the plunger and the nozzle.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a gun of the typementioned by means of which mortar used for pointing or repointingpurposes can be ejected in the manner in which free-flowing calkingmaterial and grease are now ejected from guns.

Another object is to provide such a gun by means of which mortar may beapplied to joints of walls in a speedy and efiicient manner and ifdesired, the joints finished to form.

A further object is to construct the nozzle of the gun so that thepassage in its discharge nose or snout is wider transversely in onedirection than the other and thus enable the gun to be used as apointing tool.

A further object is to so construct the discharge terminal of the nozzlethat the quantity of mortar applied to a joint or crevice in a wall canbe easily regulated.

A still further object is to provide a plunger for the gun which will befree in action under all conditions of use.

With the above and other objects in view to appear hereinafter, myinvention consists in the characteristics summarized in the claimshereof and in the construction, arrangement and combination of partstherein particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings in which like letters of reference refer tolike parts,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mortar gun embodying the variousfeatures of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the nozzle end of the gun.

Fig. 3 is a section through the plunger taken on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the narrow portion ofthe nose or snout of the nozzle and the adjoining portion of the nozzle,the nose or snout being shown in the act of applying mortar in avertical seam of a wall between two bricks in a horizontal layer ofbricks and the section being taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same portion of the nozzleshowing the nose or snout in the act of applying mortar in a horizontalseam between adjoining horizontal layers of bricks, the section beingtaken on line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the dogs forming part of theplunger-actuating mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a cross section taken on line 1-1, Fig. 2, looking in thedirection of the arrow crossing said line.

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the nozzle as viewed from theinner end thereof.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the end of the casing or barrel of .thegun to which the nozzle thereof is attached.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the nozzle as seen from the outer end thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1. designates the casing or barrelof the gun which is in the form of a cylindrical tube forming the bodyportion of the gun and having a discharge nozzle 8 removably fastened toone end of said tube in any approved manner and tapering inwardly towardthe axis of said tube forwardly from the tubular body portion, saidnozzle having a reduced discharge nose or snout 9 and prefer ably abayonet-joint connection with said tube or casing of any well knownconstruction; a Washer It] being clamped between the front end of saidcasing and an internal shoulder I I formed in said discharge nozzle,said washer serving to prevent leakage of material and moisture at thispoint.

The bayonet joint comprises segmental outstandingfia-nges l on thefrontendof the. casing or body portion I of'the gun with the ends ofsaid flanges spaced apart to form opposite notches l The tapering nozzle8 has a cyline drical portion 8 at its rear. end ota diameter to receivethe front or ad acent end of the casing or body portion 7 and theflanges thereof, and

from the peripheral wall of this cylindrical rear end portion 8lock-lugs 8 project inwardly to,- ward the axis of the nozzle and arepassed through the spaces or notches 'I at the ends of the flanges lsaid lock-lugs extending radially from the outer end of the casingorbody portion I and interlocking with the flanges I? inany conventionalmanner.

The inwardly-tapered portion of the nozzle 8, which .I further and moreparticularly designate by the numeral I2, terminates atits-front or freeend in said discharge nose and theinterior of said nozzle, includingsaid nose, is chromeplated and so plating said nose and nozzle. preventsseparation ofwater from the heavier nor.- tion of the mortar underfriction and thus allows the mortar with its moisture content to passout freely through the discharge nose. The discharge nose 9 ispreferably restrictedJin cross sectional measurements exteriorly to thatofthe smallest diameter of the inwardly-taperedportion I2 of the nozzle,and as Fig. 10 and a comparison of Figs. 4 and 5 will show, thepassageor opening through the nose is transversely of oblong formation,that is to say, itis of different dimensions at right'angles, as istheexteriorof the nose. Consequently a. passage or opening through the noseis provided which .is elongated in one-direction andtherefore has amaior transverse dimension-and a minortransverse dimension, and whichwhen the gun -is-moved along a joint between courses orlayers of brick,stone or the like, or between two bricks, stones or the like in a singlelayer orcourse, it will not co er up any considerable portions of thewall at opposite sides of the joint being filled with mortarand willenable the operator-of the gun to have a clear view of the joint and-therequirements for mortar at any point along the joint can be ascertained;thereby enabling himto control: the sup ly of mortar-by manipulatingxthegun accordingly.

I prefer to have the discharge nose..or=snout as it may be termed,constructed of chrome nickel steel to prevent rusting and -.wear ontheexterior surfaces thereof and this nose or snout I preferably braze tothe tapered-portion of the nozzle.

Removably fastened in any suitablemanner to the rear end of theicasingor body portion I is a closure or cap I3 havinga stock Mbrazed orotherwise fastened thereto.

As shown in the drawings, this stock is constructed of sheet metalhaving spaced-apart-side walls 5 connected by an outer'edge wall, wandwithin this stock between the side walls thereof. the plunger-actuating.mechanism Il ofthe gun is arranged. This plunger-actuating mechanism maybe of any construction or arrangement of parts, but in the drawings Ihave shown a roller I8 rotatable on a pin I9 fastened in the side wallsof the stock, against which the usual plunger rod to be hereinafterdescribed is arranged for movable contact.

Slidably movable in the casing or body portion of the gun is plunger 20which has axially secured thereto the plunger rod 2| extending outwardlythrough the closure or cap I 3 and through a notch or opening 22in theouter edge wall I6 ofthe stock. This plunger rod is provided with ahandle 23 at its outer end, and for a considerable distance along itslength it is provided with a series of teeth 24 engaged by an actuatordog 25 pivotally secured to a trigger 26 which is in turn pivotallysecured to the side walls I5 of the stock; as at 21, a spring 28maintaining the actuator dog in contact with the teeth of the plungerrod. A detent'dog 29 is also pivotally secured between the side walls ofthe stock and its nose or free end is in contact with the series ofteeth formed in the plunger rod, said detent dog being maintained incontact with said teeth by aspring 30. The trigger 26iis maintained inits normal position, which is that shown in Fig. 1, by means of atrigger spring 3| interposed between it.and the outer edge wall'I 6 ofthe stock.

This actuating mechanism need not be further described since it forms nopart of my invention.

In the terminals of the actuating dog and the detent I prefer tomachine.a notch 32 and fit and silver solder into said notches, carbide or othertoes 33 of hardened material so as to prolong the life of these dogs andpreventrusting of portions of the dogs which come in contact with theplunger rods. I also chrome plate the plunger rod so as to preventoxidation thereof and assure free movement of the same .undermanipulation of the actuating mechanism.

It will be clear therefore that upon drawing the trigger 26 rearwardlytoward the rear edge wall I6 of the stock, the actuator dog 25 willforce the plunger rod forwardly. and consequently cause movement of theplunger 20 forwardly to- Ward the discharge nozzle 8, moving the mortarwithinv the casing or body portion in a like direction and extruding the.same from the nose or snout of the nozzle.

During such movement the teeth of the plunger rod ride over the detentdog 29 and cause the same to engage the next tooth in the series ofteeth formed inthe plunger rod. Upon releasing the trigger the actuatordog 25 will move along the plunger rod and engage the next tooth in theseries, while the trigger itself assumes its normal position. Thequantity of material extruded from the gun deends on the number of timesthe trigger is actuated. When the mortar is completely exhausted undermovement of the plunger. the plunger rod isrotated to cause the teeththereof to face upwardly as viewed in Fig. 1, which then permits the rodto be drawn rearwardly and with it the plunger attached thereto. In thismanner the plunger will be moved toward the stock or rear end of thecasing or'body portion, after which the no zle maybe easily removed fromthe casing or body portion. With the nozzle removed the casing or body@ortion can be easily refilled with mortar, after hich the nozzle isagain applied and fastened in a Water-tight manner to the casing or bodyportion. Thus filled with mortar, the plunger rod is again turned toposition the teeth thereon so as to face downwardly. asviewed in Fig. 1,and thus cause the actuator dog and the detent dog to engage the teethof the rod and position them for actuation in the manner hereinbeforedescribed.

The nose 9 of the nozzle 8 is shortened at one side of its longitudinalaxis so that the free end face thereof is disposed in a generallyoblique direction and the terminal end edges or faces 34 and 35 of thewalls of the nose are beveled or convexedly curved outwardly from themortardischarge exit 35 to the exterior surfaces of said walls, thebeveled edges of the walls of said nose preferably merging into eachother to substantially conform with a segment of a sphere and they aredisposed at an acute angle with respect to the axis of aid nozzle 8whereby the elongated portions of the walls defining the nose 9 form aconvex strike off or ironing area for the mortar delivered by the guninto the scams or joints of a wall.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the nose 9 of the gun istubular and has its side walls substantially parallel and that such sidewalls may be utilized for moving contact with the corners of bricks atone or both sides of a joint or seam requiring pointing mortar and thatby tilting the gun laterally while moving the same longitudinally alonga seam or joint 36, the face of the pointing mortar may be varied inform and that by rocking the gun while in contact with the wall, usingthe major axis of the nose as a fulcrum, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, theamount of mortar issuing from the mortar-discharge passage can beincreased or diminished, as required. Since the terminal end edges ofthe walls of the nose 9 are curved to conform with a segment of asphere, it will be apparent that the nozzle can be tilted universallywhile the end face thereof is held in moving contact with the wall andthat not only the desired form or style of joint may be provided, but atthe same time the quantity of mortar can be regulated to conform to thetype of joint to be provided. The tilting of the nozzle in the directionof the longitudinal major axis of the nose under rocking movement, usingthe convex end face 34 as shown in Fig. 5 as a, fulcrum, uncover more orless of the exit opening in the nose or snout and thus, while drawingthe latter along a joint between layers of brick or stone, enables theneeded quantity of mortar to be extruded from the gun into the jointwhile the portion in rear of the mortar thus filled into the joint isironed smoothly by that portion of the end face following the exitopening; thus the exact quantity of mortar to be entered in the jointsis governed by the tilting of the nozzle and necessarily that of thegun, to the casing or body portion of which the nozzle is attached.Convexing the end face of the nozzle in a cross direction, as shown at35, assures a line contact of said end face with the corners of bricksat opposite sides of a horizontal joint and thus regardless of the widthof the joint, which varies slightly in every wall, mortar extruded fromthe gun will be definitely limited to the space between bricks or stonesforming a joint and cannot possibly find its way onto the outer faces ofsuch bricks or stones, yet the mortar has free passage laterally withinthe joint so as to com letely fill the latter within the confines of theline contacts between the end edge of the nose or snout and the bricksat opposite sides of the joint.

I Wish to emphasize the fact that for extruding or expelling mortar froma gun, the plunger, serving as the force controlling the discharge ofmortar from the gun, must be incapable of becoming wedged against thecylindrical wall of the casing or body portion and also incapable ofcausing the mortar in advance of the same to be packed within the gun,and the plunger I have designed to overcome such tendencies or preventsuch conditions to exist consists of a body portion 38 comprising a disk39 of a diameter to freely move in contact with the inner surface of thewall of the casing or body portion, and as shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings this disk has axially projecting from one flat face thereof, aboss 40 into which is threaded the reduced inner end 4| of the plungerrod 2!. Axially projecting from its other flat face is a screw stud 42and seated against the last-mentioned fiat face of said disk is the endwall 43 of a leather or other flexible cup-like member 44, the end wall43 having an opening axially therethrough to enable the cup to be passedover the screw stud 42. The peripheral wall 45 of said cup-like memberhas its free end thickened, as at 45, and the outer end of its innersurface is beveled as at 41. The outer diameter of the thickened endportion of this cup-like flexible member, which serves as ariding-contact washer, is normally of slightly greater diameter than thediameter of the disk 39 forming part of the body portion 38; thus thediameter along the major portion of this cup-like member or washer isslightly less than the diameter of said disk and necessarily the outerthickened portion of said member or washer, and placed around thesmaller region of this member or washer is a confining or restrictingring 48 Which is clamped between the marginal portion of the disk 39 anda shoulder 49 on the flexible member or washer formed by thickening theouter end of its peripheral wall. In this manner only the outer endportion of said peripheral wall is capable of being flexed outwardly,while the remainder of said cup-like member or washer is confined withinthe confining or restricting ring.

The said flexible cup-like member or washer is fastened in place againstthe disk 39 of the body portion of the plunger by a clamping disk 50fitted thereinto and bearing against the inner face of the end wall ofthe same, the disk having an axial opening to enable it to be movedalong the screw stud 42 and it is held in firm contact against said endwall by means of a nut 5| threaded onto said screw stud. In this mannerthe parts of the plunger thus far described are held rigidly togetherand incapable of movement relatively one with respect to another untilthe nut 5! is loosened to permit of such movement. However the freeouter end of the peripheral wall is capable of being flexed outwardlyunder force and for this purpose an expander 52 is provided which is inthe form of a dished member having its outer peripheral surface taperedinwardly, as at 53, and in contact with the outwardly beveled circularregion 41 formed at the outer free end portion of the peripheral wall ofthe flexible cup-like member or washer 44. This expander is threadedonto the screw stud 42 and preferably has wrench holes 54 thereinadapted to receive parts of a spanner wrench whereby it may be threadedoutwardly and inwardly along the screw stud to exert the desiredpressure against the expansible beveled free end portion of theperipheral wall of the cup-like member or washer 44 and after thedesired adjustment is made to assure proper packing movement of theplunger within the casing or body portion of the gun, this expander is,retained in;adjusted..position.by a jamnut 55.

Th flexible leather or other material used as the washer 44 and theaggregate in the mortar areused as a lapping medium and prevent anypassage of the mortar rearwardly along the plunger during the forcibleforward movement of the latter and this is of decided advantage, due tothe fact that the tubing used as casings or barrels for guns of thisgeneral type are not true and vary from to 8 one-thousandths of an inchfrom true cylindrical formation. The results obtained by the use of myimproved gun are such that jamming of the plunger within the casing orbody'portion of ,the gun, cannottake place.

After adjustment of the expander 52 the plunger holds its true diameterand as the mortar is forced out of the gradually narrowing passageformed in the nozzle of the gun the aggregate in the mortar, includingsand and other sharp cutting material, has no effect on the surface ofthe wall of such passage, due to the heavy chrome plating given thesame.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my invention distinguishesfrom pointing guns provided with ironing terminals which not only coverup long stretches of the joints operated upon, but also considerableareas of'the layers of brick or stone above or beneath the joint, orbetween bricks or stones in any given layer; thus compelling theoperator to apply mortar blindly to a joint without any possibility ofmanipulating'the gun so that the mortar will be supplied to the jointunder exact requirements caused by the old mortar in a joint having beenworn away more at one point than another, or becoming disintegrated inareas which would necessarily call for a greater supply of mortar thanwhere the mortar is worn away solely by the elements of the weather. Agun having a nose or snout as small in cross section as the smallestcross sectional dimension of the gun, and espeoally the tapering nozzle,assures the operator full view of the joint as he moves thegun along thesame and enables him to supply the mortar in quantities required topointthe joint evenly at all points thereof.

By curving the end of 'thesnout in the direc*- tion in which the gun ismoved, the operator is aided materially in governing the supply ofmortar according to requirements by merely tipping the gun in thedirection of the joint; the end faces of the end walls of the dischargeor mortaroutlet opening of the nose or snout serving as ironing faces orareas which will evenly spread the mortar as discharged so that thejoint will be smoothly filled its full widtheven'with the surfaces ofthe bricks or stone at opposite sides of the joint.

Moreover, by transversely convexing the'end of the nose or snout and sotilting the gun with or without component tilting movement of the gun inthe direction in which. it is traveling or in an opposite direction, theoperator is capable of applying the mortar to the joint in a recedingmanner with respect to the face of the brick or stones in the layerabove the joint and sloping the applied mortar down to the corner edge'of the brick or stones in the layer or course below the joint; therebyforming a water-shedding joint, the mortar of which has been smoothenedor ironed along the entire joint by one or the other end walls of themortar-outlet opening'in the nose or "snout of the. gun..

Having thus described my invention whatI claim is:

1. In a mortar gun, a plunger comprising a rigid body-portion ofdisk-like formation and having a plunger rod extendingaxially therefromin one direction and a screw stud extending axially therefrom in theopposite direction, a cup-like flexible member having its closed endbearing against said disk-like body portion and having an axial openingthrough which said screw stud is passed, the peripheral wall of saidcup-like flexible member being expansible, a clamping disk through whichsaid screw stud is axially passed and which bears against the innersurface of the closed end of said cup-like member, a nut applied to saidscrew stud and bearing against said clamping member and an expanderthreaded onto said screw stud and having a taperedcircumferential'surface engaging the free end of the peripheral wall of'said cup-like member'to cause said free end to be forced outwardly, saidexpander being adjustable along said screw stud to govern the extent towhich the free end of said peripheral wall is expanded.

2. In a mortar gun, a plunger comprising a rigid support having adisk-like member, a cuplike member fastened to one side of saiddisk-like member and having a'fiexible peripheral wall, an enclosingmember encircling the major portion of the length of said peripheralwall toprevent outward expansion of said major portion and to provide afree end for said wall, the free end of said wall being beveledoutwardly on its inner surface, and adjustable .expander means carriedby said support and having an inwardly-tapered peripheral surfaceengaging the outwardly beveled portion at the free end of saidperipheral wall, said expander means being adjustable axially withrespect to said rigid support to expand the free end of said wall inaccordance with the adjustment made for said expander means.

3. In a mortar gun, a plunger comprising a rigid body portion ofdisk-like formation including a screw-stud extending axially therefromin one direction and having a plunger rod, extending axially therefromin the opposite direction, a cup-like flexible member having its closedend bearing against said disk-dike body portion and having anaxialopening through which said screw stud is passed, the peripheralwall. of said cup-like flexiblemember being outwardly enlargedat itsfreeend. to provide a shoulder on the same, a confiningringencircling saidperipheral wall between said shoulder and the marginal portion of saiddisk-like body portion, a clamping-disk through which said screw stud isaxially passed andiwhich bears against theinner surface of the closedend of said cup-like member, a nut applied to said screw-stud andbearing against said clamping-member, and an expander threaded onto saidscrew stud and having an inwardly-tapered peripheral surface engagingthe outwardly enlarged free end of the peripheral wall of saidcup-likemember to cause said freeend to be expanded outwardly, saidexpander being adjustable along said screw stud to govern the extent towhich the free end of said peripheral wall is expanded.

4. A mortar gun for pointing joints between layers of brick and thelike, comprising a cylindrical tube provided atone end thereof with adischarge nozzle tapered inwardly from said tube and having a tubularnose projecting from its small end whose axis is coincident with theaxis. of :said tapered discharge nozzle, said nose having amortar-outlet passage therethrough provided with a major transversedimension and a minor transverse dimension at right angles thereto, theterminal end faces of said nose being curved to conform substantiallywith a segment of a sphere and being at an acute angle with respect tothe axis of said nozzle whereby the elongated portion of the walldefining the nozzle forms a convex strike-off for the mortar; as itissues from said outlet passage and serves to shape the applied mortarto desired form, and means to eject mortar from within said tube andnozzle through said mortar-outlet passage.

5. A mortar gun, comprising an elongated cylindrical tube provided atone end with a discharge nozzle tapering inwardly toward its axis andhaving a tubular nose at its small end of elongated formation in crosssection to provide a major axis and a minor axis, said nose beingprovided with a mortar-discharge passage of oblong formation in crosssection leading from said tapered nozzle to the free end of said nose.the end face of said nose being disposed in a generally obliquedirection with respect to the longitudinal axis of said nose and madeconvex in the direction of its major axis, and a plunger movable axiallyin said cylindrical tube.

6. A mortar gun, comprising an elongated cylindrical tube provided atone end with a removable discharge nozzle tapering inwardly toward itsaxis and having a nose at its small end whose front end is disposed in agenerally oblique direction with respect to its axis to provide anoblong mortar-outlet opening at its free end, the free ends of the wallsof said nose being made convex from said mortar-outlet opening to theouter surfaces of the walls of the nose, and a plunger movable axiallyin said cylindrical tube.

7. A mortar gun, comprising an elongated cylindrical tube provided atone end with a discharge nozzle tapering inwardly toward its axis andhaving a tubular nose at its small end with its axis in line with theaxis of said nozzle, the terminal end edges of the walls of said nosebeing curved to conform with a segment of a sphere and being disposed atan acute angle with respect to the axis of said nozzle whereby theelongated portion of the wall defining the nose forms a convexstrike-off for the mortar, and a plunger movable axially in saidcylindrical tube.

JOSEPH LEACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 845,530 Davis Feb. 26, 19071,038,180 Moreland Sept. 10, 1912 1,142,022 Chappell June 8, 19151,536,477 Crewe May 5, 1925 1,782,579 Morrow Nov. 25, 1930 2,023,820Pustejovsky Dec. 10, 1935 2,115,591 Sherbondy Apr. 26, 1938 2,381,263Darling et a1 Aug. 7, 1945 2,497,762 Davis Feb. 14, 1950 OTHERREFERENCES The Clay Worker, March 1932, page 156.

